Bullet for My Valentine is a melodic metal clan from Wales whose six-track release storms through your speakers with New Wave of American Metal flare. From the opener “4 Words (to Choke Upon)”, a barnburning number that throws in every metal trick in the book, you can tell that this quartet that hails from the same landscape as Funeral for a Friend and Lostprophets are on to something big. And big also describes the mammoth guitar tones heard all over HAND OF BLOOD, as well as the awesome usage of dynamics on “Curses” and the overall thrashing production put in place by Colin Richardson. Worshipping Maiden, Metallica, and Testament while embracing the newer screamo and current metal mindset of Killswitch Engage and Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine are the next band to blow up from across the pond, and rightfully so, as they display the riffs, the love for metal, and the chops to deserve the accolades. www.trustkill.com
- Mike SOS